Maldives cyclone guide¶

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), set up under the Disaster Management Act, is the main coordinating body for disaster management in the Maldives. The Maldives Meteorological Service (MMS) issues forecasts and a four level alert system (white, yellow, orange, red) that covers wind, rain, rough seas, and swell or tidal waves. A direct hit from a cyclone's strongest winds is rare this close to the equator, but the Maldives is a nation of low lying coral islands, most only a meter or two above sea level, so swell waves, storm surge, and flooding from cyclones passing nearby, and from the monsoon, are the real and serious risk. The Maldives is on this one page.

What to know in Maldives¶

• NDMA says it was established by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih under the Disaster Management Act (Law 28/2015) on 30 December 2018, and is the main coordinating body for disaster management activities at the national level.
• NDMA's mandate covers emergency relief and response, disaster preparedness and mitigation, strengthening early warning systems, providing temporary shelter and basic necessities to people whose homes become uninhabitable, and coordinating relief aid, including work with island communities on the safety of women and people with special needs.
• MMS's alert system has four levels: White (Alert Level 1, information), Yellow (Alert Level 2, advisory), Orange (Alert Level 3, warning), and Red (Alert Level 4, warning). For a tropical cyclone, the level rises as the storm's forecast track crosses the Maldives atolls within a shrinking time window: Yellow at 24 hours, Orange at 12 hours, and Red at 6 hours. For swell and tidal waves, the level rises with how many islands are expected to be affected, from a minor impact at White up to extreme impact at Red.
• MMS describes a storm surge this way: the storm surge caused by a cyclone causes swell surge to many islands. It also warns that rough seas interrupt the ferry service between islands and make fishing difficult. MMS calls a swell surge locally Udha.
• The Maldives Police Service's website lists one emergency number, 911, linked to call that number directly. News coverage reported that 911 launched as the national emergency hotline on the night of 14 November 2024, replacing separate numbers, and that calls to 911 reach the police, ambulance, coast guard, and fire and rescue services.
• Older separate emergency numbers (fire 118, ambulance 102, police 119, coast guard 191) appear only on embassy and travel advisory pages, not on an official Maldivian government page, so they are not listed here. If 911 does not connect, follow the advice of local officials on which number to use.

Emergency and information numbers¶

Official alerts and information¶

• MMS weather warnings and alert levels: How the Maldives Meteorological Service's white, yellow, orange, and red alert levels work for wind, rain, rough seas, swell and tidal waves, and tropical cyclones. Website.
• NDMA news and publications: NDMA's situation updates and publications. Website.

National resources¶

• National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA): National hub for disaster coordination, preparedness, and relief. In English and Dhivehi. Website.
• Maldives Meteorological Service (MMS): Forecasts, marine and aviation weather, and the alert level system. MMS also points the public to its moosun mobile app and its MetMaldives accounts on Facebook and the platform formerly known as Twitter. Website.
• Hushiyaaru, NDMA's public preparedness platform: NDMA's national platform for disaster preparedness and risk communication, developed with the UN Development Programme. Linked from NDMA's site. Website.
• Maldivian Red Crescent: The national society, the 187^th member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, working through community based units across the Maldives. Website.

For state agencies across the country, see the official sources page.

Evacuation centers¶

NDMA's mandate includes providing temporary shelter and basic necessities to people whose homes become uninhabitable, but its public pages do not publish a standing list of shelters. Follow NDMA, the Maldives Meteorological Service, and your island or atoll council for whether to move and where to go.

Radio, TV and weather¶

Keep a battery or hand crank radio. When power and cell service fail, radio is often the only way to hear official updates.

Official forecasts¶

• Maldives Meteorological Service (MMS): The Maldives' national weather, seismological, and tsunami warning service, based at Velana International Airport, Hulhule'. Issues the white, yellow, orange, and red alert levels for wind, rain, rough seas, swell, and tropical cyclones. Phone: +960-332-3084. Website.

After the storm: help for displaced residents¶

If your home is damaged or you cannot go back, these organizations help with shelter, food, money, and paperwork. Many programs open only after a disaster declaration, so check their pages for current status.

Relief organizations¶

• Maldivian Red Crescent: National Red Crescent society, with community based units for disaster response and relief. Phone: +960-334-1009. Website.

Related guides¶

• Should I evacuate?
• What to expect at a cyclone shelter
• Cyclone supply list
• After a cyclone: the first 24 hours
• Insurance claims and disaster aid

Sources¶

Checked on November 6, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.

• https://ndma.gov.mv/en/about-us
• https://ndma.gov.mv/en/mandate
• https://meteorology.gov.mv/awareness
• https://www.police.gov.mv/en
• https://meteorology.gov.mv/contact-us
• https://redcrescent.org.mv/our-story
• https://ndma.gov.mv/en/news
• https://meteorology.gov.mv/about-us